The present invention relates to a food material conveyor mechanism for a food material combining apparatus which incorporates a conveyor line, and in particular, to a food material conveyor mechanism for a sandwich preparation apparatus. The present invention also relates to a method of conveying food materials by means of the mechanism.
Fast-food sandwich shops sell various types of hamburgers and sandwiches according to a customer's request. The words "hamburger" and "sandwich" are interchangeably used in the specification unless otherwise specified. Customers readily and quickly receive what they want, making these shops very popular. In these shops, the required food material, such as buns, patties, vegetables, condiments, and sauces, is prepared by hand as is the ordered sandwich. Sandwiches are fixed and completed upon the customer's request instead of ahead of time to insure freshness and prevent deterioration in the taste of the sandwich.
A variety of hamburgers and sandwiches are in high demand at food outlets. The time necessary for manual preparation sometimes keeps customers waiting for long periods. Rapid preparation of orders is very important for fast-food outlets.
Food materials for hamburgers and sandwiches are relatively easy to fix manually. However, when a conveyor line is employed for quick preparation, additional food materials must be added onto food materials moving along the conveyor line. This task is not easy to perform. In addition, food materials vary in shape or nature, as with soft buns and grilled patties. Thus, different food materials need to be handled differently. The method of conveying these food materials in a conveyor line requires technological improvement.